Does a Mediterranean Model of Family Functioning in the Perception of Italian and Spanish Adolescents Exist? A Cross-National Study

Chiara Laudani; Giovanni Guzzo; Valentina Lo Cascio; Ugo Pace; Marco Cacioppo

Authors

Chiara Laudani Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University Kore of Enna Cittadella Universitaria, 94100, Enna, Italy
Giovanni Guzzo Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University Kore of Enna Cittadella Universitaria, 94100, Enna, Italy
Valentina Lo Cascio Department of Economics, Business and Statistics, University of Palermo
Ugo Pace Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University Kore of Enna Cittadella Universitaria, 94100, Enna, Italy
Marco Cacioppo Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University Kore of Enna Cittadella Universitaria, 94100, Enna, Italy

Abstract

The current study explored the influence of belonging to a different areas, South of Italy and Spain, on perception of parenting and family functioning adolescents in order to highlight the similarities and differences among two samples and verify if Mediterranean model of family exists”. Empirical evidence of the existence of a Mediterranean family model has been conducted to verify which common and differentiating features exist in the perception of family ties among adolescents. Data highlighted that adolescents belonging to these areas report similar levels in different component of familial ties that can be defined as “Links and Roles”: On the contrary, important differences were underlined on the perception of levels of rigidity and enmeshment within family: on the base of Marcia’s model of identity status, we called this dimension “Foreclosure status”.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n1p377